Making It Your Own

Wednesday, Mar 18, 2015

Hometown: Wauwatosa, Wis.

Notable: Pursuing Ph.D. in Educational Psychology at McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

A deep dive into research at Edgewood College – combined with a semester in Rome – continues to shape Wauwatosa native Devin Mills. Those experiences, he says, led him to where he is today, at McGill University in Montreal, Canada.

“I am currently interested in individuals’ passionate engagement in a variety of activities, with a specific interest in video game engagement,” he says. “My research seeks to understand motivational factors cultivating either a healthy or a problematic style of engagement.”

“As an undergraduate student, I drifted between various career paths. Initially, I was declared as an accounting major, although after a study abroad opportunity, I decided that my interest in social psychology was more appealing. I experimented with several courses the next semester and became completely fascinated with social development, and ultimately with a major in psychology.”

“The benefit of a liberal arts education is not always apparent while completing coursework....However, my liberal arts education expanded my outlook and provided me with opportunities I would not have otherwise taken.”

“I lived in Rome, Italy for more than four months and completely fell in love with travel and experiencing other cultures. I became confident in my ability to leave home to follow my own dreams and ambitions. Without this experience, I may not have ventured out to Montreal for graduate studies. And I may never have acquired an interest in research if it had not been for the opportunity to conduct a research project with Dr. David Lambert. This research was ultimately presented at the 2011 Midwestern Psychological Association convention in Chicago.”

“The advice I would give all college students is to become an active participant in your own learning process and learning environment. This might include working on a project with a professor or participating in various student groups. But most importantly, you have to make your educational experience your own.”